Assistant Professor CV Examples & Templates

Elizabeth Muenzen, CPRW
By Elizabeth Muenzen, CPRW, Career Advice Expert Last Updated: August 26, 2024
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Assistant professor CV example (text version)

Sarah Sailor
Los Angeles, CA
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com

Summary Statement

Seasoned assistant professor with four years of experience teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in English language and literature. Extensive knowledge of linguistics, English and American literature and grammar conventions. Participates in continued learning through conferences and professional research. Actively works to connect students to their material to transform lives.

Core Qualifications

  • Student records management
  • Lesson planning
  • Discussion facilitation
  • Presentations
  • Online learning tools
  • MS Office
  • Time management
  • Attention to detail

Education

  • University of California – Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
    Ph.D. Comparative Literature
  • California State University – Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
    Master of Arts English Literature
  • University of California – Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
    Bachelor of Arts English
  • Minor- Creative Writing

Work Experience

June 2019 – Current
California State University, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
Assistant Professor

  • Teach four courses in English literature, language and linguistics, to 60 students at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
  • Prepare syllabi, curricula, reading materials, tests and quizzes.
  • Regularly meet with students during office hours to address concerns and offer feedback.
  • Keep thorough records of over 100 student scores and attendance.
    Grade exams and papers, giving detailed feedback.

September 2016 – May 2019
University Of California, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
Lecturer

  • Deliver lectures to over 50 students and facilitate classroom discussions on analysis, rhetoric, critical theory, structure and style.
  • Arranged syllabus and designed and distributed lecture handouts to round out material and increase student understanding.
  • Graded assignments according to strict institutional policies and upheld guidelines for academic integrity.
    Mentored undergraduate and graduate students in effective next steps for education and career preparedness.
    Held weekly office hours to work with struggling students one-on-one and increase GPAs.

June 2012 – August 2016
University Of California, Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
Teaching Assistant

  • Led discussion groups for 40 students taking lecture courses.
  • Created discussion questions and facilitated interactions, both in class and on the web portal.
  • Dispersed, collected and graded all assignments, including papers, quizzes and tests.
  • Met regularly with other teaching assistants and lecturers to discuss progress and address concerns.
  • Inputted 300 student records into the database.

Research Experience

  • Research Lead: California State University, Los Angeles, 2019-2020
  • Developed unique research into English writing in the 21st century.
  • Designed research projects and alternative approaches and discussed results with thesis advisors.
  • Research Assistant: University of California, Los Angeles, 2014-2015
  • Improved thesis and investigation through consistent hard work and dedication to the writing project.
  • Collaborated with three liberal arts multidisciplinary team members to accomplish primary and secondary research goals.

Publications

Sailor, S. “A Historical Review of English Literature’s Impact in Urban Culture.” The English Historical Review, vol. 86, no. 90, 2019, pp.118-25

Conference Presentations

  • Social Media and Literature, Subject and Exposition Conference – (2021)
  • “Inclusive Language and Literature”, Literature Summit – (2019)
  • Are Memes Considered Literature? Conference – (2018)

Conference Attendance

  • 2022 National Humanities Conference, Los Angeles, CA – (2022)
  • Festival of Books, Los Angeles, CA – (2022)
  • 2022 Annual Conference of the ALA, Washington, DC. – (2022)
  • The Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference – (2021)

Professional Affiliations and Memberships

  • The American Literature Association – (2021)
  • Council of Literary Magazines and Presses – (2019)
  • Associations of Writer and Writing Programs -(2018)
  • California Literary and Prologue Society – (2018)

Profession Relevant Skills

  • Strong critical and analytical skills in reading, writing and comprehension.
  • Passion for connecting students to learning modalities that incite their interest in the Humanities.
  • Skilled at explaining and illustrating material in a manner that students of varying levels can understand.
  • Exceptional speaking skills without losing train of thought or direction.
  • Pleasant personality to connect with students and colleagues.
  • Great interest in increased knowledge and passion for fostering academic development and success for every student.

Languages

  • English
    Native or Bilingual
  • Spanish
    Professional Working

Hobbies and Interests

Shakespeare enthusiast; participate in yearly Shakespeare festival and oversee campus Shakespeare Club. Enjoy writing personal works, such as poetry and personal essays.

Important CV sections

  1. Contact details

    Without contact information, hiring managers cannot ask you for an interview. Create a section at the top of your CV for it. Display your contact information as follows: Your full name, then your city, state and ZIP code, followed by your phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add those as well.

  2. Professional summary

    Your professional summary is where you introduce yourself to the hiring manager and briefly describe your top skills and relevant work experience in three to five sentences. 

    Here is a sample professional summary for an assistant professor CV:

    Dedicated assistant professor with two years of experience fostering academic excellence in higher education settings. Adept at designing and delivering engaging lectures, facilitating dynamic discussions and providing personalized student support. Skilled in curriculum development, assessment design and academic advising, with a strong commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

    Remember to grab the hiring manager’s attention by including one or two of your most notable professional accomplishments.

  3. Skills

    Create a separate section on your CV and use bullet points to display your top hard skills and soft skills as demonstrated by our assistant professor CV sample. 

    Here are a few examples of skills that are important for assistant professor roles:

    • Teaching: Teaching skills include the ability to design and deliver effective lectures, lead discussions and develop course materials that engage students and promote learning outcomes. 
    • Curriculum development: Skill in designing course syllabi, creating assignments and assessments and integrating innovative teaching methodologies and technologies.
    • Research: Proficiency in conducting scholarly research, including literature reviews, data collection and analysis and dissemination through publications and conference presentations.
    • Academic advising: Experience in providing guidance and mentorship to students on academic and career-related matters, including course selection, research opportunities and professional development.

    If you are applying for your first job, include transferable skills, which are skills such as communication that you can use in any job.

  4. Work history

    Your CV must include a detailed employment history section that lists current and previous employers in reverse-chronological order and provides school names, locations and the dates you worked for each. 

    Add three bullet points of measurable achievements for every job you list. For example: 

    • Increased student course completion rates by 20% by implementing targeted interventions and personalized academic support strategies.
    • Published 10 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals within the past three years, with an average citation count of 15 per publication.
    • Guided five graduate students to successful thesis or dissertation completion within the expected timeframe, with all students achieving above-average defense scores.

    See our guide on how to make a CV for additional guidance and examples from career advice experts. 

  5. Education

    Add all the educational institutions you’ve attended after high school in your CV for an assistant professor job. Use bullet points to display the name of each school and the degree conferred. 

    Keep in mind that the specific educational requirements may vary depending on the institution and the field of study. 

    Additionally, depending on their mission and priorities, some institutions may prioritize different qualifications or place greater emphasis on teaching, research or service.

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Best practices

  • Use measurable achievements to describe your assistant professor skills and experience. For example, “Reduced student withdrawal rates by 30% through the implementation of innovative instructional methods and proactive outreach initiatives.”
  • Use action words to make an impact on your assistant professor CV.
  • Tailor your CV to your target assistant professor job.
  • Use keywords from the job description throughout your assistant professor CV.
  • Format your assistant professor CV so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
  • Lie about your assistant professor’s work experience and skills.
  • Boast about your “incomparable” assistant professor abilities. Instead, provide concrete examples of your teaching experience and research initiatives.
  • Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
  • Add skills and experience that do not pertain to being an assistant professor.
  • Forget to proofread. An assistant professor CV with errors is unprofessional.

Interview tips

  1. Learn about the school or institution before your interview.

    When interviewing for an assistant professor role, it’s important to learn as much as possible about the school or academic institution to which you are applying. Here are some key areas to consider researching: 

    • Department and program: Familiarize yourself with the department or program where you will be teaching. Learn about its faculty, curriculum, areas of specialization, research focus and any unique programs or initiatives.
    • Resources and facilities: Investigate the resources and facilities available to faculty and students, including libraries, laboratories, technology infrastructure and research support services. 
    • Challenges and opportunities: Identify any challenges or opportunities facing the institution such as budget constraints or enrollment trends. Be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to addressing these challenges as an assistant professor.

    By researching these areas before your job interview, you can better articulate how your skills, experiences and goals align with the school’s needs and priorities. 

  2. Practice common interview questions.

    A little practice now will go a long way during your interview. To practice for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as: 

    Also, prepare for job-specific questions such as:

    • How do you plan to integrate your research agenda with your teaching responsibilities?
    • Describe your teaching philosophy and approach to classroom instruction.
    • How do you engage students in the learning process and promote active participation?

    Ask a friend to interview you and provide feedback on your performance and answers. This will help you feel confident and ready when it’s time for the real thing.

  3. Be proactive and ask questions.

    Your interviewer will ask if you have any questions at the end of your session. You should always have at least three questions ready to ask, for example:

    • What opportunities are available for professional development and advancement within the department?
    • What resources and facilities are available to support faculty research and scholarly activities?
    • Can you provide insight into the student population and the types of students I can expect to teach and interact with?

    These questions demonstrate your interest in the position and your desire to learn more about the department and institution. They also allow you to gather valuable information that will help you assess whether the role is a good fit for your career goals. 

  4. Have references ready.

    Having professional references before your interview will prepare you in case the hiring manager decides to move forward. 

    Create a list of two former colleagues and a former manager willing to speak to your abilities to perform the assistant professor job and who you know will give you a stellar review. 

    If you are applying for your first full-time job and don’t have former colleagues or a manager for reference, it’s acceptable to get references from a former instructor, volunteer coordinator, internship manager, classmate or community leader who will provide a positive review about your ability to perform the job.

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